Mutatio

Chapter 9 ShadowChirp

I took a deep breath, drawing in the scents of the forest. I wasn't on patrol, I was out on my own. I needed some time to think. The charred trees hadn't had a chance to grow back before Fall turned to Winter and the plant life started to die. The Kappa were working double time to find food, especially with the snow storm sweeping in on the horizon. The air was cold, the frost covered leaves crunching under my paws. I tapped my paw against the tin layer of ice covering a small pond and the ice shattered. I lapped up the cool water, hoping that the Hawks would wait till Spring to attack. Surely they had the same hunting issues that we did during the winter. I used my tracking skills to stay away from the hunters and patrollers, not wanting anything to shatter this quiet peace. I was worried about NightSky. She didn't seem well, and with her pups so close to ready... I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Now was not the time to worry about that. WaterStone and the other Mutatio were looking out for her. I followed a beetle through the underbrush, killing time. Suddenly, there was cry. I stood up straight, frozen, trying listen. Was that...?

"ShadowChirp!" Somebody shouted. I turned around. It was MistTail and FlamePaw. There was panic on both of their faces.

"MistTail? FlamePaw? What is it? What's going on?" I inquired, anxiety growing in my chest.

"It's NightSky. She's sick and puppies are on their way." MistTail told me. Without hesitation, I dashed off towards camp, running faster than I had ever run before. MistTail and FlamePaw matched me step for step. I burst through the camp entrance and ran to the Theta Den without slowing. SunHowl stepped in my way. I growled at him when I heard NightSky whimpering inside.

"Move." I snarled. Had this been any other situation, SunHowl would have had to move, since I was his commander, but since it was a medical situation, the Theta and his or her mate were second to only the Alpha. SunHowl shook his head.

"You can't go in there." He told me. I tried to push past him, but he growled. NightSky let out another cry and I whimpered.

"Please! She's my mate!" I begged. SunHowl just shook his head. I groaned angrily and stomped away. I paced back and forth in the clearing, my ears pressed against my head. What if something happened and the pups didn't make it? What if...what if NightSky didn't make it? The thought of loosing my mate made my heart explode, and I felt bad for BurntLeaf, having to suffer through his mate abandoning him. An hour passed and the camp was silent. FlamePaw approached me cautiously.

"S-ShadowChirp?" He asked. I turned to him, glaring. He flinched, but didn't back down. "You can go in and see her now." I immediately headed towards the Theta Den, my heart racing. SunHowl nodded to me as I passed him and entered the den. I heard small whimpers that warmed my heart. NightSky was fast asleep, and WaterStone was caring for two small pups. One of them was black, like NightSky, the other brown and speckled like my father, the Alpha. I smiled and started forward, but WaterStone shook her head. I'd have to wait. I walked over to NightSky. I pressed my nose against her side and sighed with relief at the steady rise and fall of her chest. Then I noticed something. I nudged my mate's paw out of the way, which revealed one of the smallest puppies I had ever seen, curled up and half hidden under NightSky's fur. It was a girl. Her white fur was soft and turned a yellowish gold color at the tips of her ears, tail, muzzle, and paws. She yawned, revealing tiny, sharp, teeth and a small pink tongue.

"I think you missed one, WaterStone." I informed her. WaterStone looked up and gasped when she saw the little wolf yawning.

"That's impossible!" She exclaimed, walking over to me. I smirked.

"Believe it or not, WaterStone, you aren't perfect." I said with a laugh. WaterStone shot me a look.

"It's not impossible that I missed one, it's impossible that this pup is alive!" She explained. I furrowed my eyebrows as WaterStone picked up the small pup and set her down with the others.

"And why's that?" I wondered. WaterStone looked at me, her dark green eyes seeming to stare straight into my soul.

"It's impossible, ShadowChirp, because this puppy was dead. She came out dead. She's been dead for fifteen minutes. I was going to bury her and just tell you both that there were only two, but FlamePaw overheard me talking to SunHowl about it and obviously didn't like the idea of you two being lied to." WaterStone said. I felt sick to my stomach.

"D-Dead?" I looked from NightSky to the pup, then back. "Then how...?" WaterStone shook her head.

"I don't know. It's a miracle, I guess." She replied. I smiled, then let out a yawn. It was getting late. "Get some sleep, ShadowChirp. You can stay here, if you like. SunHowl and I will watch over the puppies." I wanted to protest, but the look in WaterStone's eyes warned me not to, so I curled up next to NightSky and fell asleep, my muzzle pressed up against hers...

A/N: Sorry for having another short chapter... I know it's annoying. I don't really have an excuse. So...yeah. I'll howl to you later!